ago

adjective or adverb

ə-ˈgō How to pronounce ago (audio)
Synonyms of agonext
: earlier than the present time
10 years ago

Synonyms of ago

Relevance
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Examples of ago in a Sentence

he left here long ago
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
As Comcast, led by Brian Roberts and Michael Cavanagh, reported its third-quarter financials, Peacock posted a pre-tax profit of $261 million, which followed a $189 million profit in the most recent second quarter and a $217 million year-ago loss. — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2026 For the third quarter, Comcast's revenue was 6% lower than the year-ago period. — Catriona Marangi, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026 Meta’s capital expenditures during the quarter reached nearly $35 billion, up 80% from the year-ago quarter. — Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026 After trading closed Thursday, the S&P 500 was off 1% from its week-ago record, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq had fallen more than 3% below its peak last week. — Rob Wile, NBC news, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ago

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ago, agon, from past participle of agon "to go away, pass by, pass away, come to an end," going back to Old English āgān "to go away, depart, (of time) pass," from ā-, perfective prefix + gān "to go entry 1" — more at abide

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ago was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing ago

Rhymes for ago

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Browse Nearby Words

Agnus Dei
ago
agog
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Cite this Entry

“Ago.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ago. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

ago

adjective or adverb
ə-ˈgō How to pronounce ago (audio)
: earlier than the present time
many years ago
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